Arturas Karnišovas
Encyclopedia
Artūras Karnišovas (born April 27, 1971, in Klaipėda
, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union
) is a retired Lithuania
n professional basketball
player.
Karnišovas started his early career in Lithuania with Statyba Vilnius
while in high school and played there until 1990. Artūras Karnišovas traveled overseas to play college basketball
at Seton Hall University
in the United States
. He played four years at Seton Hall, averaging 18.3 points in his senior season in 1994. After trying and failing to draw interest from an NBA team, Karnišovas began playing overseas. Karnišovas played for Barcelona
(Spain), Fortitudo Bologna (Italy), Olympiacos (Greece), and Cholet
(France
), and helped lead Lithuania to consecutive Bronze medal
s at the Summer Olympics in 1992
and 1996
. He was also a first-team All-Star in the 1998 World Championships. He reached the Final Four
of the Euroleague 3 times and led the 1998–99 Euroleague in free throw
percentage (89.6 %). He is now an international scout for the Houston Rockets
.
Klaipeda
Klaipėda is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Nemunas River where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It is the third largest city in Lithuania and the capital of Klaipėda County....
, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
) is a retired Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player.
Karnišovas started his early career in Lithuania with Statyba Vilnius
BC Lietuvos Rytas
BC Lietuvos rytas is a professional basketball club based in Vilnius, Lithuania playing in the Lithuanian Basketball League , the VTB United League, and the Eurocup...
while in high school and played there until 1990. Artūras Karnišovas traveled overseas to play college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He played four years at Seton Hall, averaging 18.3 points in his senior season in 1994. After trying and failing to draw interest from an NBA team, Karnišovas began playing overseas. Karnišovas played for Barcelona
FC Barcelona Bàsquet
FC Barcelona Bàsquet, known as FC Barcelona Regal for sponsorship reasons, is a Spanish professional basketball club. It is part of the FC Barcelona sports club and was founded on August 24, 1926 which makes it the oldest club in Liga ACB. The club competes in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto...
(Spain), Fortitudo Bologna (Italy), Olympiacos (Greece), and Cholet
Cholet Basket
Cholet Basket is a professional basketball club that is based in Cholet, France. The club plays in the French Pro A League. Their home arena is La Meilleraie.- Establishment :...
(France
Ligue Nationale de Basketball
The Ligue National de Basket is the top men's French professional basketball league. There are two divisions: French Pro A League and French Pro B League .-Pro A:...
), and helped lead Lithuania to consecutive Bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
s at the Summer Olympics in 1992
Basketball at the 1992 Summer Olympics
The Basketball games of the 1992 Summer Olympics were played at the Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona. 12 men's teams and 8 women's teams participated in the tournament....
and 1996
Basketball at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Basketball contests at the 1996 Olympic Games were held from July 20, 1996 to August 4, 1996. Games took place at the Morehouse College Gymnasium and the Georgia Dome. For the second straight Olympic games, the American men's team composed almost entirely of NBA players won the gold medal...
. He was also a first-team All-Star in the 1998 World Championships. He reached the Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
of the Euroleague 3 times and led the 1998–99 Euroleague in free throw
Free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...
percentage (89.6 %). He is now an international scout for the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
.
Career
- 1987–1990 – Statyba VilniusBC Lietuvos RytasBC Lietuvos rytas is a professional basketball club based in Vilnius, Lithuania playing in the Lithuanian Basketball League , the VTB United League, and the Eurocup...
(Lithuania) - 1990–1994 – Seton Hall UniversitySeton Hall Pirates men's basketballThe Seton Hall Pirates men's basketball program is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey...
(U.S.) - 1994–1995 – Pitch Cholet BasketCholet BasketCholet Basket is a professional basketball club that is based in Cholet, France. The club plays in the French Pro A League. Their home arena is La Meilleraie.- Establishment :...
(France) - 1995–1997 – FC BarcelonaFC Barcelona BàsquetFC Barcelona Bàsquet, known as FC Barcelona Regal for sponsorship reasons, is a Spanish professional basketball club. It is part of the FC Barcelona sports club and was founded on August 24, 1926 which makes it the oldest club in Liga ACB. The club competes in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto...
(Spain) - 1997–1998 – Olympiacos Piraeus (Greece)
- 1998–2000 – Teamsystem Bologna/Paf Bologna (Italy)
- 2000–2002 – FC Barcelona
Awards/achievements
- Olympic bronze medalist – 1992Basketball at the 1992 Summer OlympicsThe Basketball games of the 1992 Summer Olympics were played at the Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona. 12 men's teams and 8 women's teams participated in the tournament....
, 1996Basketball at the 1996 Summer OlympicsBasketball contests at the 1996 Olympic Games were held from July 20, 1996 to August 4, 1996. Games took place at the Morehouse College Gymnasium and the Georgia Dome. For the second straight Olympic games, the American men's team composed almost entirely of NBA players won the gold medal... - European championship silver medalist – 1995EuroBasket 1995EuroBasket 1995 final tournament stage was XXIX European basketball championship and was held in Athens, Greece from 21 June to 2 July, 1995. This European championship was the first one that saw the successful return of Lithuania national basketball team to the tournament, since its last triumph...
- FIBA EuroStarsFIBA EuroStarsFIBA EuroStars was an annual event organized by FIBA Europe as a showcase basketball match from 1996 until 1999, inclusive.Seen by many to be the European answer to NBA All-Star Game, FIBA EuroStars featured that season's best players from Euroleague, a competition that was at the time still...
MVP – 1997 - FIBA EuroStars participant – 1997, 1998, 1999
- European Player of the Year award by FIBA – 1996
- Spanish National CupCopa del Rey de BaloncestoThe Copa del Rey de Baloncesto is an annual cup competition for Spanish basketball teams organized by Spain's top professional league, Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto. It was originally known as the Copa de España de Baloncesto and was first played in 1933. It was the first nationwide...
(Copa del Rey) winner – 2001 - Italian league champion – 2000
- Spanish ACB champion – 1996, 1997, 2001
- McDonald's ChampionshipMcDonald's ChampionshipThe McDonald's Championship was an international men's basketball cup competition played between the champions of the continental club competitions and an NBA invitee...
finalist - 19971997 McDonald's ChampionshipThe 1997 McDonald's Championship took place at Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris.-Preliminary round:Qualifying games16 October 1997-Final round:-Places 5-6:18 October 1997-Final:*Chicago Bulls...
(most points scored - 19)